PewterReport.com's 2015 Bucs' 7-Round Mock Draft 1.0

On the eve of the East-West Shrine Game practices in St. Petersburg, Fla. PewterReport.com’s Scott Reynolds offers up his first Buccaneers’ 7-Round Mock Draft of 2015. For the first time since 1987 when the Bucs took Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde, Tampa Bay has the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft and desperately needs help at the quarterback position.

Will Tampa Bay draft Oregon’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, Florida State QB Jameis Winston or trade down in the first round for a bounty of draft picks in 2015 and future selections? We’ll find out on April 30, but in the meantime, he is PewterReport.com’s first round-by-round draft projection that focuses mostly on improving Tampa Bay’s offense.

ROUND 1 – Florida State QB Jameis Winston – 6-4, 230 – Redshirt Sophomore
The Buccaneers desperately need a franchise quarterback with the “It” factor to go toe-to-toe with the likes of New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Carolina’s Cam Newton and Atlanta’s Matt Ryan twice a year in the NFC South division. Winston is that type of quarterback and has a track record of being a winner, evidenced by a 26-1 record at Florida State, winning the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship as a redshirt freshman.

Winston is widely regarded as the best pocket passer in the draft and would be an ideal fit for new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, whose system relies on strong QB play from the pocket. Winston is one of the most clutch quarterbacks in college football, engineering five game-winning drives and he has a perfect 7-0 record in games decided by a touchdown or less, which is the typical NFL game. That type of play, and his pocket prowess, should make Winston the number one overall pick over

The Bessemer, Ala. native has completed over 65 percent of his passes for 7,964 yards with 65 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Winston set an FBS freshman record with 40 touchdown passes in 2013 against just 10 picks. He has the intangibles, arm strength, mobility, ability to read defenses and go through progressions and a track record of having success early in his career that could make his transition to the NFL a quick and smooth one.

Winston does have some off-field issues that need to be investigated by the Buccaneers and head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jason Licht and the Glazers must agree that he has matured enough to lead the franchise and will continue to mature once given the millions of dollars that come with an NFL contract. Winston’s star power and the Seminoles fan base in the Tampa Bay area could give the Buccaneers’ ticket office the shot in the arm the team needs, which has to be appealing to the Glazers.

ROUND 2 – Florida State OL Cameron Erving – 6-5, 320 – Senior
The Buccaneers are considering moving their best offensive tackle, Demar Dotson, from the right side to the left side in 2015 with the expected departure of Anthony Collins, a free agent bust from a year ago. However, the drafting of Erving, a franchise-caliber left tackle, could negate those plans and keep Dotson on the right side.

Erving, a two-year starter on the offensive line, was a first-team All-American tackle over the past two seasons, and had the unique distinction of being a first-team All-ACC left tackle and a second-team All-ACC center after he switched positions for the final four games of the 2014 campaign when the Seminoles needed help protecting the middle of the line. The Moultrie, Ga. native’s versatility is a huge asset, as NFL scouts believe he can be a starter at left tackle, center or even guard at the next level.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder began his collegiate career as a defensive lineman and plays with an intense, nasty demeanor. Erving can help the Bucs right away by competing at multiple positions as a rookie. If Tampa Bay decides to draft Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, coming back and drafting Erving at the top of the second round – or even trading back into the late first-round – makes a lot of sense. For two years Erving has protected Winston’s blind side and even snapped to him this season. Keeping that continuity going between those two could greatly benefit the Bucs offense.

ROUND 3 – Kansas State WR Tyler Lockett – 5-11, 175 – Senior
Dirk Koetter’s offense could use more speed and playmaking ability at the wide receiver position, and Lockett finished his Kansas State career as the school’s all-time leading receiver with 249 catches for 3,710 yards and 29 touchdowns thanks to a massive senior campaign in which he caught 106 passes for 1,515 yards and 11 scores. Lockett’s father, Kevin, and uncle, Aaron, a Bucs’ seventh-round draft pick in 2002, starred at K-State as receivers, so he comes from great bloodlines.

With Atlanta’s Harry Douglas having success in the slot in Koetter’s four-wide receiver set, Lockett is a similarly built quick-type receiver that can play both inside and outside. His big-play skill set is reminiscent of that of Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown as Lockett, who will be at the Senior Bowl, had 17 100-yard games for the Wildcats, and had 16 receptions of 40 yards or more. No game was bigger than Lockett’s 12-catch, school-record 278-yard, three-touchdown performance against Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin, who was projected to be a first-round pick before tearing his ACL last year at the Senior Bowl.

Lockett, who uses his tremendous route-running ability to create separation, can also help Tampa Bay’s special teams as a return specialist. He left Kansas State with six touchdowns in the return game, including four on kickoffs – including a pair of 100-yarders – and two on punts. His 19.1-yard punt return average led the FBS this year and he had three additional punt return touchdowns that were negated due to penalties. The Bucs could use more speed in the return game and on offense and Lockett, who is expected to run in the 4.4-range, can help Tampa Bay on all four downs.

ROUND 4 (from St. Louis) – Arizona State G Jamil Douglas – 6-4, 301 – Senior
Douglas spent his senior season playing left tackle after beginning his collegiate career at left guard. He was an All-Pac-12 performer at both positions over the past two seasons. While he might get a look at the tackle position during the Senior Bowl, Douglas’ NFL future is at guard due to his frame.

The Buccaneers have a huge need at the guard spot, but this position isn’t particularly deep in the 2015 NFL Draft. Getting a talented road-grader like Douglas in the fourth round would be a wise investment as he has shown he can battle against the likes of USC’s Leonard Williams and fared well.

Douglas is a very strong lineman with heavy hands that typically knock defenders backwards or to the ground. The tenacious Sun Devil is a freak in the weight room where he has power cleaned 390 pounds, benched 430 pounds and squatted 585 pounds. He excels as a pulling guard and has good mobility and power in space. Arizona State’s most veteran offensive lineman has the NFL size and ability to contend for a starting job right away, which would make him attractive to Tampa Bay.

ROUND 5 – Norfolk State DE Lynden Trail – 6-6, 260 – Senior
A former prized Florida recruit, Trail transferred to Norfolk State, an FCS school, where he has dominated over the past two years. During that span, Trail racked up 185 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as an outside linebacker in the Spartans’ 3-4 defensive scheme.

With a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and a huge wingspan, Trail’s size and build resemble that of former Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor. With freakish athleticism and speed, Trail will be sought after by 3-4 teams as an outside linebacker and by 4-3 teams as a defensive end as pass rushing is what he does best.

Trail would be a tremendous Day 3 acquisition for a Tampa Bay team that is looking for more athletes to get after the quarterback at the defensive end position. His NFL Draft stock is rising quickly, though, as he was once an invite to the East-West Shrine Game before spurning that event for the more prestigious Senior Bowl. With a good showing in Mobile, Ala., the Bucs may have to spend a fourth-round pick on Trail if they want him and his stock continues to climb.

ROUND 5 (from Patriots) – USC CB Josh Shaw – 6-1, 200 – Senior
Shaw is a big-framed defensive back with NFL-ready size. In playing at both Florida and Southern California, Shaw has experience at both free safety and cornerback, and that versatility makes him attractive to teams that need help in the secondary like Tampa Bay.

In his first three years on the field at both schools, Shaw combined for 119 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 14 pass deflections, six interceptions and one touchdown. His best season came in 2013 when he had career highs in tackles (67), pass breakups (seven) and interceptions (four). Shaw is known as a big, physical defender with good instincts and above average athleticism and hands.

The Bucs and other NFL teams will have to thoroughly inquire about Shaw’s lying to USC coaches about how he sustained ankle injuries in August that prompted him to be suspended for all but the final three games of the Trojans 2014 season. Shaw ultimately came clean about his fabricated story and apologized, but this character concern – and the fact he played in just three games during his senior season – will lead to his draft stock falling in May. That could benefit the Buccaneers.

ROUND 6 (from St. Louis) – South Dakota State RB Zach Zenner – 6-0, 220 – Senior
The 6-foot, 220-pound Zenner is an incredibly productive running back for the Jackrabbits program, rushing for over 2,000 yards in each of the last three seasons and totaling 6,548 yards and 61 touchdowns on the ground during his collegiate career. A big, fast and physical runner, Zenner always gives maximum effort on every run and is considered to be a Day 3 sleeper at the halfback position.

With a blue-collar running style that resembles a faster, sleeker Mike Alstott, Zenner has five runs of 75 yards or more, including two over 90 in his career, Zenner is just as capable of running away from would-be tacklers as he is running them over. He’s had games with over 100 yards against the likes of Bucs general manager Jason Licht’s Nebraska (202 yards, three touchdowns) and Missouri (103 yards, two touchdowns) and will get to prove himself against a higher level of competition again at the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Zenner is also an accomplished receiver, catching 49 passes for 602 yards and six touchdowns over the past two seasons alone, and has eight receiving scores in his SDSU career. This all-around rusher with great character would be a fantastic addition to Tampa Bay’s running back stable and would also be a willing contributor on special teams as a rookie, too.

ROUND 7 – Michigan State MLB Taiwan Jones – 6-3, 253 – Senior
Jones was a defensive leader for Michigan State over the past two years as he has led the Spartans to a top 10 finish in each season. A three-year starter at weakside linebacker, Jones was asked to move to the middle linebacker position where he flourished, racking up 60 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and one interception in 2014.

Jones, a fiery, intense thumper of a middle linebacker, recorded 10 tackles and three tackles for loss against Bucs general manager Jason Licht’s Cornhuskers this year. He finished his Spartans career with 183 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception.

Jones, who was a running back in high school, will display his wares for NFL scouts and talent evaluators at the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla. With Mason Foster entering a contract year in 2015, the Buccaneers could use some depth and playmaking ability at the middle linebacker spot, and Jones would be a nice developmental prospect at the position.

About the author

Scott Reynolds is in his 22nd year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds enjoys giving back to the community as the defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: sr@pewterreport.com

Iabucfan

Runole

cwintermans

I think Winston is a great pick but that the Bucs should go BPA in the second regardless of need. Personally I don’t know what to think of Erving because he either was moved to Center or he lost the LT job. I would say there will be a lot of good players available in the second.

macabee

The Bucs gave up their 2015 5th round pick in the 2014 draft to the Bills to move up and pick Kevin Pamphile in the 5th round. Although not noted, the pick for Lynden Trail is the 5th we got for Zuttah. The other 5th round pick came from the Pats when we swapped our 6th for their 5th in the Mankins trade. The Pats got our 4th, we got the Rams 4th and their 6th for Barron. Stay tuned there will be more trades!

macabee

Until we learn more, this looks like a good mock to me. If the 1st pick is Winston, I like the Erving pick in the 2nd. If not, It could be OT La’el Collins/LSU or OG A.J. Cann/SoCar or OT T.J.Clemmings/Pitt. Will/should be O-Line!

jongruden

jongruden

I do like the selection of Cameron Erving, If he lasts until the second round I would take him, but I think he goes in the first round due to his versatility to play multiple poistions. I can speak on Jamil Douglas as I am a Sun Devils Fan he is the best guard in the country being objective like everyone else of course in fact we should take him #1, ha

scubog

pinkstob

It’s as good a 7-round mock as any at this point aside from the 1st pick being based on desire instead of the history of actions of the Glazers, of course. I didn’t like the Tyler Lockett pick at first because with the re-signing of L. Murphy I don’t think WR is a high enough priority to take at the top of the 3rd round, but I am in favor of taking a KR/PR that high if we think he’ll turn into the best in the league. I think KR/PR is an undervalued position and the Bucs have ignored it for far too long. That pick aligns with the history of past actions by Lovie as he made it clear when he came here that special teams are a high priority for him. D. Hester was a 2nd round pick. The pick also aligns with our desperation to find a KR/PR last year by switching guys out every other week.

WVBucFan

If the Bucs are looking for a Slot who can play outside too. I rather see another WVU player in Tampa like Mario Alford… He’s got 4.2 speed the hands and can play outside and inside and he’s a bigger body that Lockett so he can hold up better than Lockett’s smaller frame.

EastEndBoy

I like the Lockett pick…we haven’t had a real return-man for quite some time and it has hurt us. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at the commentary around Shaw though…so we should pass on him until the 5th round because of character concerns (he lied about how he fell and sprained his ankles) but we should take the biggest character concern of the draft at #1 overall…honestly guys, I am not opposed to Winston over Mariota (yes I would prefer Mariota) but you start to make @jongruden’s comments sound pretty accurate at times…

cgmaster27

Not sure what you’re getting at east end. They want to take shaw, and he might last that long because of him only playing 3 games this year. How does that have anything to do with Winston? They want to draft him so I’m not sure what you are getting at.

EastEndBoy

I don’t think PR was really saying he would last until the 5th because he only played 3 games…it seems to me that they are saying he will last until the 5th because of character concerns…but Winston will go 1st overall despite what would be an order of magnitude difference in the “character” department (run-ins with the law versus run-in with the ground)…but maybe – in fairness – it’s really all about those 3 missed games due to (now fully recovered) injury…

EastEndBoy

In other words @cgmaster: why I am starting to think @jongruden may not just be blowing smoke, is because – when it’s a Florida guy we’re talking about, Talent outweighs Character, but when it’s a California guy we’re taking about, character outweighs Talent…or so it’s starting to seem…and in honesty/fairness, that may just be a perfectly reasonable bias that PR doesn’t even recognize…so, I think @jg may be right to point it out and get PR to think twice about some of this analysis…that’s the point I am trying to make.

cgmaster27

I can say I like this draft a lot. I mean I’m a homer so you have that but I am starting to think that cam doesn’t last to the second round.
After the senior bowl and workouts can should move into the first. We can then draft that Arizona guard so jon can finally get someone he can root for.
Get that tomahawk chop ready jon you might be rooting for a few noles.

cgmaster27

If we come outside of the fourth round with four starters, I’ll be happy. Quarterback, two lineman, and a middle linebacker, I’d be very happy. Especially if marinelli comes back. That would be quite the coaching staff to work with the young talent. Just need a new ok coach.

cbrady2k

We don’t get to defense until round 5… not a bad draft at all, but with not defensive players drafted last year and not getting to defense until round 5 here, it worries me a bit. Unless the 3rd round WR is a complete stud, I think they’d be better off going with a MLB, S or corner there since you can normally get starters with that spot.

buddah

Like it all except #1. No way I would touch Winston. No way the management will either. Way too many risks. The only risk with Mariota is that it will take time for him to learn. That was true of Steve Young as well. The risks with Winston are monumental and this franchise can’t afford to blow this one. You’re talking about the face of the franchise, the town, and the community. All we have to go on is his checkered past. To gamble that he get be remade through babysitting, is a pipe dream. Great talent, but not worth the risk. Not at #1.

cgmaster27

so you’re willing to take a gamble on a guy whose never taken a snap under center. And comparing him to Steve young is a massive stretch. Just also saw a stat, since 2010, you know when mariotta came in, they’ve never come back from a deficit over 14 points.

cgmaster27

First off, I thought you weren’t talking to me? Second of all, it was a stat shown during the game so you might want to pay attention. Mariotta has lost multiple games in his career, so yes he has been behind. And seeing as how they got smashed tonight I guess he failed his first opportunity very nicely.
Oh and get used to seeing him getting picked up off of the turf like this game, that’s exactly what will happen to him in the pros.
If you still want him after this game I feel bad for you.
He was exposed for all he will ever be which is a system qb.

jrwilson85

seat26

Gotta get a DL much earlier. 2nd or 3rd round. Receiver should not be high priority. Winston is a very talented guy, but he has more baggage than what we should allow. It would be a shame to see the overall first pick in the draft end up on MSNBC every night for this crime or that accusation. We have had our fill of that nonsense.

Bucsfan920

Agree with everything except number 1 and a wr in the third round. We have too many needs on the offensive line. As for number 1 it should be mariota Winston has too many off field problems. Get mariota then o line the next 2 picks, then the rest of the draft should be defense

buddah

You gouys who think the Buccaneers would even contemplate drafting Winston at Number 1 are living on another planet. He is not going to pass the vetting. No way in the world. After what the NFL has experienced this season with Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson and the public perception of the “morals” of NFL players, I think the press will absolutely crucify the commissioner if he stands on that stage and calls Winston’s name “with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.” It’s just not going to happen. And it shouldn’t happen. It’s well worth the risk to anticipate that Mariota will reach his extraordinary potential. Have you ever listened to Winston give a Press Conference. Don’t you come away wondering if he ever went to class? This is who you want as the face of the franchise. It’s just not going to happen.

savinlife4alivin13

cgmaster27

And what happens if and when they do draft him? The press crucify goodell? Why exactly. Follow the money, if he passes the vetting process, and I guarantee you he will. He will be tampas qb. The glaziers want people in the seats. Lovie isn’t waiting 5 years for mariotta to “blossom”. He’ll be out of a job by then.

KINDERRT

To condemn a person for being accused of rape with no proof only an accusation from a woman with a questionable background is sad. I say let the vetting take place,then make the pick. To pass on the better prospect because of an accusation from someone that seems to be after money with no evidence after two investigations seems foolish.I don’t care what QB we take as long it’s the best player on the field and they have been vetted.

EastEndBoy

@kinderrt, I’m not sure anyone is condemning anyone for bring accused of rape. Winston is a guy that fInds trouble time and again (facts: the BB gun incident, the crab legs incident, the student center incident, suspension from baseball team, public argument with coach, and say what you want about the accused rape incident – even without the rape, it was a troubling a story as he tells it). Second, while some may believe Winston s a better talent, that’s hardly universal.

savinlife4alivin13

I can’t believe how many people want Tampa to draft Winston! I’ve been a fan since 89′ and a Florida St fan since 83′ and I’m telling you it will be wrong to draft him! He is soooo inconsistent and can’t read defenses to save his life. If we draft him, I’m still going to cheer for them but it’s not going to look pretty!!!!

scubog

I love this time of year when we all become General Managers. Not only do we think we are the all-knowing guru of player evaluations; we think anyone whose opinion differs from ours is an idiot or a “homer”. I must admit, I sometimes wonder what people are seeing or if their bias is blinding their vision. Here some want to reject a potentially great player because he was accused of a crime he didn’t commit, did and said a few things due to immaturity like a lot of us in our 20’s as BMOC or LMOC did and the best one, having a southern drawl. Hmmmmmmm that last one really hurt this country bumpkin named Terry Bradshaw. Pittsburgh fans were outraged until he became Lord of the Rings. Same thing happened to Doug Williams. Often people who are articulate say dumb things. Listen to what is said not how it’s said.

stlbucsfan

If Jameis is not the 1st overall pick then its surely not Mariotta. His intangibles dont make up for the obvious holes in his game. He struggled to consistently win from the pocket yesterday and when faced with adversity didnt deliver. He missed open receivers again yesterday and not being able to get the edge when he wanted to run the ball forced him to throw and with little success. I saw glipses in the first half of Marriotta once hes rolling but when things are off schedule like they often are in the NFL I was thoroughly unimpressed.

cgmaster27

Well jon, once again you prove what a moron you are. Just watch after the game when most experts said they’d be surprised if mariotta went in the top 5 after that bad performance. Once again you just look at stats, take away the 7 screen he completed and when he couldn’t run, he wasn’t worth squat.
So what if his stats were like that, Winston threw for almost 400 on Oregon and you picked him apart so deal with it.
And I don’t know what you are trying to prove but prove me right when you showed his record. Dudes worthless in a big game. How many championships does he have? Same as the letter on his helmet.
Get used to seeing Winston tough guy because there is NO chance we draft mariotta. But don’t worry I’ll be on here to laugh at you when they don’t. Just like i was laughing at you as they picked his body off the turf on a roll out. Winston aught to send him a thank you card he looked so bad . Play a physical defense and mariotta is worthless, last night just proved my case. But keep showing everyone in the room how stupid you are. And I thought you weren’t talking to me?
But thats just something else you were wrong about.

sunshineben

pinkstob

None of us are expected to be experts on analyzing and projecting college players to the NFL but things some of you guys are saying just don’t make sense. Mariota played better last night than he did against FSU but some are saying he played worse and somehow he was “exposed” because Oregon lost the game? He completed more passes from the pocket. He threw more passes into traffic (e.g. the receiver who dropped a wide open pass down field in the 1st quarter…#84 I think…Mariota threw him a pass later in the game mid-field with 2 guys draped all over him). He showed toughness by fighting for extra yards as well as coming back in on the same series as hurting his throwing shoulder. Yes, he missed open receivers with no pressure but so did every QB I saw playing this past Saturday and Sunday. Did you guys see T. Brady and the rest of those QB’s missing open receivers with no pressure because I was looking for it since that’s the knock on Mariota. Every QB does it but some people get a blind eye turned to them. I have now watched 9 of Mariota’s games this year and 5 last year. He is the best QB in this draft class and get us the most points on Sunday over the next 10+ years.

cgmaster27

Thanks for responding rationaly Pinkstob. I respect your opinion, but last night was a clear indication this kid is a project. While you saw tries from the pocket, I saw at leaste 4 throws kissing wide open receivers. Stats can be misleading when 7 of your completions are screens with a run after catch. And him showing toughness is what is going to get him on the ir in the pros.
Everyone in the big leagues is as fast as him and when his running was taken away, he was average from the pocket.
Any and all analysts agree that he was a little exposed last night. You guys are getting me wrong, I think he is a great college qb, but sometimes that doesn’t translate to the pros. And on top of that, the guy has never won anything. He’s lost to evey physical team he’s played. But again I respect your opinion pink, and thanks for speaking logically and not name calling like some 12 year olds on here.

pinkstob

No problem Cgmaster27. To continue the debate, keep in mind Luck never won anything either. Neither did Peyton, Brady, Rodgers or Brees. I’m kind of glad Oregon lost that game and I really wish Mariota hadn’t won the Heisman because most QB’s that get awards and championships don’t do well in the NFL. I think it makes them hungrier in the NFL when they get close and lose in college. To your second point, missing 4 wide open receivers is not unusual for any QB; some are just scrutinized more than others. Look for it in the NFL playoffs this weekend. To your third point, I agree stats can be misleading which is why I watch the games. The stats don’t account for receivers that dropped passes just like they don’t account for screens with a run after the catch. To your fourth point, running doesn’t get you on IR. That myth has been debunked several times…more QB’s got hurt in the pocket this season than out of it (Bradford, Rodgers, Locker, Palmer, Foles). I can’t remember how RGIII and Cousins got hurt. Kaepernick, Wilson, Tannehill, Luck and Newton (once he got back on the field) were all fine. To your last point, it is a fact that many are saying he was exposed but he was only exposed in the eyes of those who haven’t watched him play as often as I have. If you’re seen him play as often as I have you’ll see he played almost as well as he normally does, which the “almost” is expected against a team as good as Ohio State. It’s just the fact that the guys around him and on defense got beat physically more than they usually do, which is more on the coach having his guys ready to play for a national title.

chefboho

I’m like horse in this, I don’t know if either quarterback are legit to get us where we need to be, but if I did choose it would be Winston. JonG, these debates are all opinions and name calling only
Makes u sound weak. U call all these people from pewter report, nfl analysts, Trent dilfer, and mostly all other analysts that say Winston is the better
Pro ready quarterback homers. Why? On the fab 5 u say winstons stats are a mirage yet u put mariottas stats up like they mean something. That makes u a hippacrite as well don’t u think? Everyone else is commenting on here with passion. None of us are picking for this team so name calling doesn’t need to happen. If u don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. I’m not attacking u as I knownyour passionate as well, I just hate to see people take these comments to an ignorant level. We all want what’s best for the bucs, we just tend to believe it’s different players. All I know is that we are in a prime position to help this team out this year and lovie’s job depends on not blowing this. Just one mans opinion. Go bucs

Horse

After watching the game last night I am back to square one from my position of a couple months ago; there are no QB’s worthy of a top 10 spot. Both are projects. I believe it is best to go after the best DL or OL even if we can’t find a trade partner. I feel much better about this as I was trying to put a round peg into a square hole. We have many holes to fill so why not stick to filling DL and OL first. Go Bucs.

pinkstob

Horse, I’ve been looking at the DL and OL as closely as I have the QB’s (I look at every position independent of Bucs needs) and there are no players that offer more value than these two QB’s. Like it or not they really are the best players available. Leonard Williams from USC is the real deal and is the closest as a 4-3 DT or 3-4 DE, but gets a lot of personal fouls and other infractions. With McCoy and McDougald in house we wouldn’t get any more wins by drafting him.

cgmaster27

You make very good points pink. I think you have to go with one of the qbs first. Lovies job depends on it and drafting another position won’t help.
As for your points above, I mention about him rolling out because that is clearly were he is most effective. That’s were guys like rg3 get hurt. And mariotta is built just like rg3. As for the missed passes, yes everyone misses, they aren’t perfect, but what worries me is that all of his misses are from the pocket.
I have in fact watched a lot of Oregon football to see what he’s all about and I just can’t get into him. Every analyst says its a 2 year project with him and lovie doesn’t have that kind of time.
He needs a guy who can play now as this league is a win now league. Heck John fox got fired after two 12 win seasons.
But I guess what we think doesn’t matter. if they think the background checks are good, I really think Winston is the first pick, but I could be wrong.

Buctebow

Picking a QB first likely gives Lovie an extra year to turn things around, as no one could expect a winner with a rookie QB, almost stupid for him (selfishly) not to do it. I hope they get Suh in FA, as Detroit can’t afford the franchise tag (nobody could). If the defensive front is fierce enough, then a lot of mis-steps by a rookie QB can be hidden. Can you imagine the penetration up the middle? QB’s would have to break from the pocket time after time when it collapsed on them. The DE’s would just have to play contain and would make a million sacks with the QB’s coming right to them.

macabee

I watched the game last night and I don’t know any more than I did before it started. As far as I can tell, it appears the best team won. By the way, there was no GM, no coach, no scout or any Buc representative at the game. Maybe like me, they’ve seen enough.

I’m going to let the evaluative process continue. As time goes on perhaps we will learn something new. On the night of April 30th in Chicago all conjecture will end. After the Bucs make their pick (or not pick Horse) don’t worry, the next day I will let all of you know what happened – I promise.

Until then, this is kind of like playing the lottery. The only way you can be sure your number will come out is to write it on a slip, ball it up and swallow it. Tomorrow you can be pretty sure it will come out!!!!

You can tell I’m taking all of this very seriously – as in how can my opinion possibly not be the right one? Lol.

Buctebow

Buctebow

Have the Eagles give us 3 years of draft picks for the number 1 pick, then get the Ohio State QB and draft another QB next year and another QB again the next year until one works out. Well we know they won’t do that so go ahead and get Winston, but please promise to trade Glennon, I mean Melman.

Buctebow

I think they want a real workhorse running back to help out the new rookie QB. They will beef up the line with some road graders in FA and the draft, plus the burner slot guy mentioned in the article. It certainly will be a team with a different look next year. I’m hopeful for Marinelli as well.

brooks55

Horse

I was hoping by now one of the two QB’s would be our obvious pick; now I just fon’t know.
A friend of mine in Tallahassee told me that Winston is already in Atlanta uder the protection and services of his Agent. I hope he gets him ready for the Combine. Of all the years to have the No. 1 pick and there is not a clear impact player.

DCGoth

I can’t, at this time, see either dropping to the middle of the round. There are just too few quality QB’s available in the selection. I tend to agree with most of the analysts, that see them going 1 & 2, with a small possibility that one may fall as far as the Jets.

However, the combine has the potential to change all of that. The speculation from 2014, pre-combine, and the actual draft results show exactly how a player’s stock may rise or fall over the next few months.